Improved constkuction of eoofs



.uncovered and the tobacco-frau1es exposed to the direct heat of the sun 'and drying currents of air.

@einen ttttraatrnt @ffice IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROOIS.

dige rlgemlt referrer tu in time, tttcrs @peut mit mttitg'yatt tf its sans.

TO ALL WHOM IT'MAY CONCERN: j p j.

Be it known that I, M. DE K. CUTTs, of Richmond, in the county of Henrico, and State ofV Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction ot' the Roofs of Houses for Curing Tobacco; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of-this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view pf the' tobacco-drying house. I

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional v iews of the house.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalgures.

This invention relates to a nevel improvement on the construction of the-roofs of houses inwhich tobacco` in the leaf is dried and cured.

The object of the invention is to so construct and apply the two inclined sides of the roof of a. tobacco-4 drying house that with very little labor, and whenever desired, these sides can be 'thrown up in vertical posiY tions, so as toexpose the racks of tobacco to the drying effects of the sun and air, and at the same time allow of a free circulation of air between the racks, thereby effecting the drying and curing of the leaves in a much sbnrter time than hitherto, and avoiding the labor and expense of handling the leaves and changing them from And whenever the `condition of the weather is such as would injure the.

i tobacco if exposed to it, the sides of the roof can be lowered and the tobacco protected from dampness, as will p one place to another upon the racks.

be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation. f All that portion of the house, with the exception of the roof, may be constructed in the usual well-known "l manner, and thefrarnework or racks A, for supporting the tobacco-leaves, may be erected in` such house and arranged as hitherto.4 The roof consists of tivo inclined sides, B B', which are hinged in a strong and substan-f tial manner to the ver-'tical sides of the house, so that these sides B B can be raised to the upright positions shown in tig. 3, or lowered in the positions shown in figs. 1 and 2. This root` will thus admit of the entire top of thehouse beinguncovered, and the tobacco-frames or racks exposed to the air and sun. The sides B Bti forming the roof may be constructed in any suitable rnanner, and provided with an overlapping portion, C, at the ridge of the roof,twhich portion will cover and close the joint formed by the meeting of theupper edges of the ,two'hinged sides B B', as shown in igs. 1 and 2, Vthereby preventing the roof from leaking at said joint during a rain. The sidesB B are attached to the upper edges of the vertical sides of the house by means of hinges a, which may be constructed in any suitable manner which will afford the greatest strength. VHaving provided the structure vwith a hinged roof, which can be opened or closed as described, I employan arrangement bywhich these sides B B can be readily raised or lowered. To the upper portions of the two 'sides B B', and near the ends thereof, I attach chains b b, two to each one of said sides, which chains are passed over` pulleys c c, in posts G, and thence carried down on Vboth sides of the house, and connected to drums or windlasses g g, as shown.

four corners of the structure, which posts not only serve as elevated supports foLthe pulleysc c, over which the lifting-chains pass, but they also serve as props or supports for the two sides B B when thrown up, r.:

shown in iig. 3, The windlasses may be arranged either inside or outside of the structure, and for extraordifnarily heavy roofs trains of gearing may be applied to the winding-'drums g g, so that one person can', without much exertion, raise or lower the sides of the root'.- It will be seen by reference to the drawings that I apply pawls and ratchets to the winding-drums for the purpose of arresting the drums whenever desired, during the operation of erecting the sections or sides ofthe root'.` When the sides of 'the root` are closedv as shown in iig. 1, they may be secured down in place by means of hooks h h, or other suitable fastenings, which will prevent the said sides from being blown open during a storm. p

It will be seen from the above description that when the weather is dry the top .of the house can be readily By thus uncovering the house and its contents there will be a free upward draught of air between the racks supporting tobacco-leaves. I, A

IjfIaving described myA invention, ywhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

There are four posts, G G, employed, which are firmly secured in upright positions at or near the 1. A tobacco-drying house which is provided with a. sectional hinged roof, in combination with frames A, which support the tobacco-leaves while being dried and cured, substantially as descrbed.

2. The supporting-posts G, in combination with hinged sections B B, e`levatingdcvices, frames, constructed and arrangedin such manner that the leaves of tobaceo upon said frames to the action of the sunond air at pleasure, substantially as described.

Witness my hand, in the matter of my application for a. patent on n, house or the roof of a. house 'for drying and curing tobacco, this 28th day of October, 1867.l

M. DE K. CUTTS.

:ind supportingcan be exposed Witnesses:

EDW. SGHAFER, EDM. F. BROWN.

fwn 

